Power Rankings: No. 1 will be decided Nov. 4
By Pete Prisco | CBSSports.com Senior Writer Follow PeteUpdated Oct. 30
We have a first here.
Since doing the CBSSports.com Power Rankings, I've always had a team in the No. 1 spot and one in the No. 2 position, never co-No.1s.
This week, we have a tie.
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| Tom Brady and Randy Moss: It's been all grins so far in New England. (US Presswire) |
They are both undefeated. They are both winning big. And they are both quarterbacked by one of the two best in the league.
So in honor of this week's game, it's a tie.
Go ahead, chowder-heads. Let it fly. Rip. I know it's coming. How can that Patriots-bashing, Peyton Manning-loving Prisco do it again?
Why? I believe they're equals.
The Patriots have been in the top spot of the rankings the past three weeks, and they are playing at an amazing level, but there are reasons the teams should be tied. Here are three:
• The Colts have played a tougher schedule. Their seven opponents have a combined 27-24 record. The Patriots' eight opponents have a combined 24-34 record. The Colts have won two tough road games, at Jacksonville and at Tennessee, while the Patriots' lone impressive road victory was against the Dallas Cowboys.
• The Colts, according to the scoring stats, have a better defense. The Colts are giving up 14.6 points per game, second best in the league, while the Patriots are giving up 15.9 points per game. From a yardage standpoint, the Patriots have an edge, allowing 268.5 yards per game compared to 272.9 for the Colts.
• The Patriots' offense is putting up huge numbers, leading the league in scoring at 41.4 points a game, but four of their games have come against the bottom four defensive teams in the league. The Jets (29th), Bills (30th), Bengals (31st) and Browns (32nd) all fell victim to the New England offense. Those games with the Patriots have something to do with why they're down so low, but they have also struggled against other offenses. The Dolphins, another Patriots victim, are ranked 24th in total defense. New England has also faced just one top 10 defense, the Cowboys at No. 6.
By contrast, the Colts offense, which is averaging 32 points per game, has faced just two defenses ranked lower than 20 -- the Carolina Panthers (21st) and Denver Broncos (25). They have faced two top 10 defenses, the fifth-ranked Tennessee Titans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who come in at No. 8.
Yes, the Patriots have come out and made everyone stand up and take notice with that pleasant-to-the-eyes passing offense. It is a joy to watch. But the Colts can score too and they have played a tougher schedule and have a slightly better defense. So I say they're even. For that reason I'm putting them both in the top spot here in the CBSSports.com Power Rankings this week.
We have co-No. 1s. I can hear the screaming all the way from New England now down to my home in Florida.
Let it rip, guys. We'll know for sure who is better on Sunday anyway.
The Power Rankings through Week 8:
| Power Rankings | |||
| Current | Team | Previous | |
 | 1 | Giants · Trends | 8 |
| With a young team, an elite quarterback and a coach who knows how to make these playoff runs, they will be a Super factor again. | |||
 | 2 | Packers · Trends | 1 |
| They have to do a better job on the defensive side of the ball in 2012. There was a major regress by a lot of defensive players in 2011. | |||
 | 3 | Patriots · Trends | 3 |
| Bad drafting is starting to catch up with this team. It's time to fix that. And one has to ask: Has Tom Brady lost his postseason magic? | |||
 | 4 | 49ers · Trends | 4 |
| Alex Smith is a free agent, but don't expect him to go anywhere. But if the 49ers are going to stay a good team, they have to throw it better. | |||
 | 5 | Ravens · Trends | 5 |
| This is a team getting up in years at some spots, which might mean the window is closing. | |||
 | 6 | Saints · Trends | 2 |
| Biggest offseason priority: Getting Drew Brees signed to a long-term deal. You can bet it will happen soon. | |||
 | 7 | Steelers · Trends | 6 |
| They face a lot of uncertainty on the defensive side of the ball. What veterans won't be back? Who shouldn't be? | |||
 | 8 | Texans · Trends | 10 |
| If Matt Schaub comes back healthy, this could be the team to beat in the AFC next season. They have a tough decision on Mario Williams in free agency. | |||
 | 9 | Falcons · Trends | 7 |
| They have two new coordinators, and that might be a good thing. Dirk Koetter will bring more down-the-field stuff to the offense. | |||
 | 10 | Bengals · Trends | 11 |
| This is a young team on the rise. As the young players mature, especially Andy Dalton, they will be a Super contender. | |||
 | 11 | Lions · Trends | 9 |
| It's all about improving the defense and getting more out of the running game on offense. Cliff Avril is a priority free agent. | |||
 | 12 | Cowboys · Trends | 13 |
| We think they underachieve every year, but are they really as good as we think? | |||
 | 13 | Broncos · Trends | 12 |
| The entire offseason will be devoted to making Tim Tebow a better passer. Good luck with that. | |||
 | 14 | Eagles · Trends | 14 |
| The Eagles' big splash last year didn't pay any dividends. Now they have to regroup and try and get back to playoff football. If not, Andy Reid could be gone after the 2012 season. | |||
 | 15 | Titans · Trends | 15 |
| Jake Locker needs to be the starter in 2012. It's time to move forward. | |||
 | 16 | Jets · Trends | 16 |
| How do they fix that broken team? The locker room seems to be a mess. There is a lack of discipline. | |||
 | 17 | Cardinals · Trends | 17 |
| There is talk they will get into the Manning derby? If that's true, what's that say about Kevin Kolb? | |||
 | 18 | Chargers · Trends | 18 |
| Was keeping Norv Turner the right move? Philip Rivers thinks so. But we know he has to win in 2012. | |||
 | 19 | Raiders · Trends | 19 |
| Dennis Allen takes over the NFL's most dysfunctional franchise. Is Greg Knapp the right guy to lead that talented offense? | |||
 | 20 | Seahawks · Trends | 20 |
| Who will be the starting quarterback in 2012? Do they make a push for Matt Flynn? | |||
 | 21 | Bears · Trends | 21 |
| With Mike Martz out, and Mike Tice in, it appears they will move more to a running offense. Is that a good thing? Matt Forte is a top offseason priority. | |||
 | 22 | Chiefs · Trends | 22 |
| Romeo Crennel gets his second chance to be a head coach. Better sweep the office for bugs first. | |||
 | 23 | Dolphins · Trends | 23 |
| I like the hire of Joe Philbin, a bright offensive mind. Now they need to get him a quarterback. Peyton Manning? | |||
 | 24 | Redskins · Trends | 24 |
| Here's another team that is expected to be in the Manning sweepstakes. They have to do something there. | |||
 | 25 | Panthers · Trends | 25 |
| Cam Newton fixed the offense. Now it's time for the defense to be addressed this offseason. | |||
 | 26 | Bills · Trends | 26 |
| They are switching to a 4-3 front. That means they have to find some ends to help the pass rush. | |||
 | 27 | Jaguars · Trends | 27 |
| Mike Mularkey is the new coach, but the key will be how much of new owner Shad Kahn's money they are willing to spend in free agency. | |||
 | 28 | Buccaneers · Trends | 28 |
| New coach Greg Schiano's first order of duty has to be to get Josh Freeman playing to his 2010 levels again. | |||
 | 29 | Browns · Trends | 29 |
| They have to decide if Colt McCoy is the long-term answer. He didn't look like it in 2011. | |||
 | 30 | Vikings · Trends | 30 |
| They need to get better players around Christian Ponder. He needs weapons, especially with Adrian Peterson coming off a torn ACL. | |||
 | 31 | Colts · Trends | 31 |
| The Peyton Manning saga is getting old. The team needs to make a decision soon and move on. New coach Chuck Pagano has a lot of work to do. | |||
 | 32 | Rams · Trends | 32 |
| Jeff Fisher takes over a team with a lot of holes. They have to get Sam Bradford some weapons. | |||
